One More Night
by r2roswell
Summary: A series of events leads to heartache and regret while they also try to deal with what it all means.
1. Morning After

**Chapter 1: Morning After**

* * *

Emma's head pounded. She felt the softness of the bed but this one was different. She could've sworn she had gone home last night. Emma stretched, her eyes still closed. When she brought her hands down she could feel something hard hit her right hand. Her eyes quickly opened. Though the man's body was turned she recognized that set of hair anywhere. She found herself becoming more alert.

Emma looked at her surroundings and then at the covers that were placed over her and her bed buddy. Emma grimaced but she had to know. She peeked underneath and her worst fears were confirmed. She discreetly got out of the bed, wrapping herself with the top comforter and began looking for her clothes.

"Morning," said Neal as he turned to face her, "What are you doing?"

Emma froze over the fact she had been caught, "I have to go," she answered.

"Now," he asked. "Come on, stay. We can order in."

"Can't. Where are my-,"

Neal pulled out his hand from the bed to reveal some blue laced panties. He just smiled.

Emma took them from him. "Don't. This isn't cute," she said getting dressed.

"Emma, what happened-,"

"Didn't," she answered. "I was drunk."

"No you were plain sober, we both were. You were just angry."

"Fine, you weren't, I was."

"Yeah sure if you want to call being drunk on hot cocoa then by all means," he said mockingly.

Emma picked up her jacket and shoes and opened the door.

"Will I see you later," Neal asked.

"I don't know, maybe," said Emma.

She had wanted to say no but given what a small town Storybrooke was it was unlikely that she could escape him for long. Right now she couldn't get out of the room fast enough. For a quick moment she leaned against the door and took a breath, then realized this might not be the best place or time to get a moment to herself since Neal might decide to follow her at any second.


	2. Trying to Focus

**Chapter 2: Trying to Focus**

* * *

"Hey," David said walking into the office. "Didn't think you'd be in."

Emma continued to busy herself with paperwork, "Where else would I be?"

"Emma it's probably none of my business but-,"

"Then don't ask," Emma replied harsher than she meant. "Sorry, I just really need to focus on something else right now."

"Bad night?"

Emma looked up at David. She could tell he was concerned about her, it's not like what was going on with Neal had been a secret, it was hard to cover up a personal matter in a small town, but she couldn't talk about what was going on, she couldn't talk about boys. What girl could talk to their father about that sort of thing? She imagined those kinds of situations before both as a young girl and now as an adult. Maybe her fears and awkwardness held no merit and were over imagined but still given the events that had occurred had happened less than twenty hours ago she wasn't ready.

Emma shook her head, "I'm not sure what kind of night it was."

"You and Neal didn't sort things out?" Emma looked up. "I'm sorry, I don't want to pry."

Emma smiled a little, "You're my dad so I think you're allowed."

"You know if you do want to talk then you know you can always come to me or your mother."

"I know. I think what I really want right now though is to focus on my work."

"I'll leave you to it then."

Emma watched as David took a few steps toward his desk. She knew he was just trying to help but no one could help and that was part of the problem. The easiest thing to do was forget about it completely. At least that's what she had kept trying to tell herself but the more she did the harder it was to forget.

Neal was right, she hadn't been drunk. She had just needed any form of excuse even if it made no sense.

Emma shook her head trying not to allow herself to go there but it was too late. It all ready was. She brought a hand to her eyes and closed them, remembering the events that had transpired the night before.


	3. The Night Before

**Chapter 3: The Night Before**

* * *

Tamara sat in a far booth at the diner. She toyed with her coffee cup as she waited. She had been in Storybrooke for three weeks and it had not been what she was expecting. On some levels it had been incredible but on others she had felt like this wasn't the life she signed up for. Tamara looked at the ring that was on her finger. She didn't dwell on it long as she turned when his hand was placed on her shoulder.

"Hey," Neal said taking the seat in front of her. "Got your note," he said.

"Thanks for meeting me," Tamara said not looking at him.

"Of course. So what's going on?"

Tamara took a breath and looked directly at Neal. "I'm leaving," she stated flat out.

"What do you mean you're leaving?"

"I'm going back to New York."

"Okay," said Neal. "I am sorry I have kept you from your work. It will be good to check back in I guess."

"No it's not like that Neal. I'm going back there to pack up my stuff. I got a job offer in California and I'm taking it."

"California! Why didn't you just turn it down?"

"I'll be the curator at one of the top museums there in the state. I wasn't going to let that opportunity pass."

"So you're going just like that? Were you even gonna talk to me about it?"

"I'm talking to you about it now."

"That's not what I mean. So how will this work, we see each other like college kids: weekends, holidays, what?"

"You could always come with me," said Tamara.

Neal looked down. "You know I can't do that. Henry's here."

"And Emma," she said.

"Emma," Neal said looking up. "She has nothing to do with this."

"I think she does Neal. You may not see it yet but it's there. I see it, your father, her parents, even Henry, hell the whole town does but for some reason the two of you are too blind to notice."

"There's nothing going on between me and her."

"Are you sure about that? In the time since I've been here how many times have we been alone? Whenever Henry is around so is Emma."

"That's because she doesn't trust me alone with him yet."

"And you haven't fought her on it either. I think you want her around and I can't compete with that. Since I've been here I've felt like more of a guest rather than your fiancé."

"Hey I'm trying here. We can figure this out."

"I don't want to figure it out. I do love you Neal but this is your life, not mine." Tamara looked at her ring and removed it placing it on the table.

"Don't do this," said Neal.

"It's done. You love Emma. You love the mother of your son, not me," she said not looking directly at Neal but at Emma who sat at the counter with a cup of hot cocoa as she waited.

Tamara had seen her come in but she said nothing to Neal. She knew the blonde had heard some of their conversation. It was hard not to hear other people's conversations in the small place.

Tamara only smiled as she looked at Neal. "Guess it must be fate."

Neal turned and saw Emma. She turned and met his gaze. "Emma," he said feeling guilty that he had been caught with something he shouldn't have.

Tamara stood. "Goodbye Neal." She walked over and stopped in front of Emma, "He's all yours," she said to her competition as she made her way out of the diner.

Emma sat frozen for a moment looking at Neal until reality sunk in. She had come to the diner to pick up some cherry pies for her family when she saw Neal and Tamara talking.

'There's nothing going on between me and her' she had heard Neal tell Tamara.

'Are you sure about that,' his fiancé had replied.

Emma had gone to the counter and tried to ignore the conversation but it was hard when Tamara kept raising her voice.

'It's done. You love Emma. You love the mother of your son, not me."

And now Tamara had given her some kind of ridiculous blessing and Emma continued to sit there looking at Neal and him at her.

* * *

Emma got up from her seat and headed toward the back. She didn't want to go out the front for fear of running into Tamara. After overhearing parts of the conversation she didn't want to face the other woman.

"Emma, wait," Neal called after her.

Ruby had come over with Emma's pies only to find her gone. Her wolf senses told her Emma had left through the back and she saw as Neal headed in that direction.

When Neal did find her she was in the lobby of the B&B, the same place they had been weeks before when Tamara first showed up and the place they usually spent some of their time.

"Emma would you just stop, please?"

Emma stopped and turned, "What!"

"I'm sorry. I didn't know you were there."

"It shouldn't have mattered if I was or not. I'm not the one you should be chasing after."

"I don't think it would change anything. She's still leaving."

"Then go after her. It's what you want. Leave Storybrooke, leave Maine, just make things right."

"I'm not leaving."

"You can't have it both ways Neal and from what I saw she's clearly making you chose."

"What about you, what about Henry," he asked.

"Trust me we'll be fine without you for a while."

"Damn it Emma don't."

"Don't what?"

"Don't try to push me away."

"You think that's what I'm doing? I'm just trying to get you to face up to not making another mistake."

"Please, Tamara is just an excuse! I thought we were trying to make things work."

"You should be making things work with her."

"You're deflecting again. This has nothing to do with Tamara. This has to do with you or more specifically what I did to you."

"Don't go there."

"We're all ready there. We have been for a couple weeks ever since your mom found August in the woods. You haven't been able to stand being around me or him and I know why. I'm sorry Emma, I'm sorry for the pain I caused you."

"I don't want to hear it."

"I don't care. I screwed up, I know that. I may have been running from my past, from my father but at the same time I risked all that so you could be reunited with your parents. I did that for you."

"And you expect me to say what 'thank you' well you can forget it. I can't. I spent eleven months in jail and ten years without you because you and August decided to screw me around. You're just like your father. You took advantage of what I was and didn't care about the pain you put me through. I was just a pawn to you just like I was to him."

"Come on, no you weren't. I loved you Emma. You above anyone should know what it's like to love someone and sacrifice that so they could have a better chance."

"Do not bring Henry into this!"

"I'm sorry I just meant-,"

"If it hadn't been for you two idiots Henry wouldn't have had to grow up without us. I can't forgive you for that and I can't trust you and I-,"

* * *

Before Emma could say anything more Neal took a lunge forward and placed his lips on hers. She could hate him all she wanted but that wouldn't stop the urge he had now. The urge he'd had since he first saw her in the alley in New York.

Emma tried to fight him off at first but the touch of Neal's skin against hers, the touch of his tongue in her mouth was enough to let her drop her defenses. Neal force himself harder shoving her against a near wall. Some wall hangings fell to the floor.

Emma's reasoning tried to kick into play, wanting to tell herself this was wrong and that it was a bad idea but her heart and her hormones were telling her what she had always known, that she had wanted this from the moment Neal had left. Tamar was out of the picture. She had left Neal. It was wrong to take advantage of Neal like this wrong of him to do the same but Emma didn't care. Each kiss he placed from her lips down to her shoulders was like a stimulating pulse being sent through each inch of her nervous system. She could feel her nipples harden beneath her blouse, could feel the bulge between Neal's legs beginning to pulse.

From the diner Ruby's senses had been alerted. It hadn't been the sounds of things dropping on the floor or even the conversation that could be heard all through the diner; thin walls and everything, but rather the pheromones that been released.

That was the one thing that bothered Ruby about being a wolf, knowing when two beings were in heat. It was amusing but at the same time it felt like such an invasion of privacy.

Ruby snickered.

"This might not be the best place," Emma said between her heavy breathing.

"Right," Neal replied.

The two of them continued making out. They laughed as they tried to make their way up the stairs and down the hall to Neal's room. Emma fumbled for the keys in Neal's jean pockets. She smiled at him with her back against the door as she clumsily twisted the key in the lock behind her. It clicked and Neal reached to open the door pushing her through the room and slamming the door with the back of his foot.

Neal reached for Emma's jacket and began taking it off, Emma doing her best to kick off her shoes. She then made her way to his green button down shirt and ripped them, the buttons scattering in all sorts of directions. So much for his shirt. Neal began to rapidly remove Emma's shirt over her head to reveal a blue laced bra. He kissed her chest and made his way down to where fabric met skin. Emma reached behind and with Neal's help unclasped it.

Neal kissed Emma, lifting her off her feet and began walking toward the bed. They then rapidly took off their jeans and underwear. Emma could feel that Neal was ready. He had been since they started downstairs. Neal's groin lingered along Emma's thighs. She wanted him inside her more than anything but she was complacent in letting the outside of her body feel him. His groin was erect and fluids began to seep making a mess down her legs. Fluids began to seep from Emma too, their watery substances mixing together along their skins and bed sheets.

Neal felt Emma's nipples harden as he wrapped his lips around them. Her eyes were closed as she allowed herself to be intoxicated by his touch.

Down below, Neal was his hardest yet. Emma relaxed to let him in. Neal was forceful but not in a way that would hurt her as he let his erect groin slide inside of her. The two had fit perfectly still almost as if no time had passed.

Emma thought back to that first night she shared with Neal in the motel room. It had only been ten minutes but that had been the best ten minutes of her adult life. It was nothing compared to this though. Both experiences were great in their own right; that time in her past being her first but this one was different. There was no set time limit as to when they had to leave. Emma felt as Neal's secretions oozed inside her sending her sensations into over drive. And Neal could feel his secretions along with hers.

Emma moaned as Neal thrust harder going as far into her as he could. A hand was placed over the headboard; another took hold of her right hand slightly over her head. His lips caressed hers. With her free hand, Emma ran her left hand through Neal's hair, down his arm, and over his chest.

It was clear that they had both wanted this. They had waited eleven years.

Emma had hated Neal. She hated what he had done, how he had ruined her life, how he had taken their future with him the day he left. Deep down though in a part she could never admit she had always held out hope that Neal would return to her and that despite whatever hate and anger she had she could get over. She didn't just lust for Neal, she loved him and she still did even now.

Neal had felt the same. He had waited ten years for her and even in the eleventh year when he was with Tamara he had deep down still waited. He had said 'I love you' to Tamara but he never meant it. The words sounded dry much in the same way a person said they were fine when asked if they were okay. He had held onto the dream catcher and held onto the keychain since Emma had placed it in front of him at the bar.

Tamara was out of the picture now. She was gone and Neal had no intention of following after her. Though logic said he should his heart told him what it had said for the past eleven years, that he belonged with Emma. He had always belonged to her. He wasn't just lusting after Emma in this moment he loved her. He wanted her not just physically. He wanted all of her, he wanted a place in her heart again, he wanted to be with her, he wanted a life with her.

Tamara had only been a band aid to his loneliness. She hadn't been the real thing, not like Emma. Tamara was right. He knew she always had been since she called him on the looks he and Emma shared.

Their ecstasy came to a climax. Neal's breathing continued to increase and Emma let out a loud wail as she had her orgasm.

And then it was over. Neal's groin had relaxed but remained inside her. He wasn't ready to leave. She didn't want him to either. Neal lowered himself, cautious of his weight as to not squash her and Emma placed his head on her chest. He stayed there, eyes closed, hers too, both of them breathing rapidly, trying but failing to calm themselves.


	4. Trying Not to Love You

**Chapter 4: Trying Not to Love You**

* * *

Emma cursed herself for allowing her thoughts to go back to the night before. She hated Neal for being right. She hadn't been drunk, she had just been angry at him. Angry from all the pain he had put her through and angry that she had overheard the conversation with Neal and Tamara.

It had all blown up and not in the way she expected. She had intended to yell at him, then punch him, and then yell some more. Instead it had gone in a completely opposite direction. Neal had made his move and she had done nothing to stop it. She had embraced it as much as he had. She had allowed herself to feel him, had allowed him to be inside her.

Emma was taken out of her thoughts by a knock on the front door of her office.

"Hey," said David, "I'm gonna go pick Henry up for his riding lesson. I drop him off at the B&B right?"

Fear surfaced in Emma's eyes. She had forgotten that yesterday morning she had talked to Neal and told him she would bring Henry over in the evening.

"There's actually been a change of plans," Emma said to her father.

* * *

A week later there was a hard pounding on the apartment door. David was closest so he answered it. He wasn't that surprised to see Neal standing before him. He still didn't know what was going on with his daughter but he figured as much that it had something to do with Neal since they hadn't seen him around much lately.

"Where is he," Neal said stepping into the apartment. "Where's my son?" he asked looking directly at Emma who stood behind the counter.

"He had a project," she answered, "So he stayed after school."

"You've been keeping him from me. I haven't seen him in a week."

"We've been busy."

"That's an excuse," said Neal. "You've been keeping him away because you've been avoiding me."

"Why would I do that?"

"I can think of one reason in particular."

Emma wasn't having this so she abruptly changed the subject. "Have you even spoken to Tamara yet?"

Neal looked down and placed his hands in his pockets. "She changed her numbers. I don't even know her current whereabouts. She lied about taking a job in California."

"Well I could help track her down."

"Just stop!" Neal said looking up at her, "This isn't about Tamara or Henry or anyone else. This is about us. Why can't you just admit what happened? Why can't you just talk about it?"

"And why can't you just let it go?" Emma shot back as she began to seethe.

"Why are you trying so hard to?"

"Because it was more than just sex all right!" Emma admitted.

She glanced at her parents remembering they were still in the apartment. She noticed the shocked look that her mother had given David. Neal had come in guns blazing that everything else had been blurred in the process. The both of them had both been wrapped up in their argument that nothing else mattered. Emma was grateful that Henry wasn't around otherwise it would have been a lot worse. She wasn't even sure if Regina had ever had the sex talk with her son. She had managed to avoid the subject a little longer when they caught Emma's parents in bed together.

Mary Margaret looked at Emma and then at David.

"We'll leave the two of you alone," she said to her daughter.

Mary Margaret walked over and grabbed her coat. Emma placed her hands on the counter as she waited for her parents to leave, not looking at them or Neal.

* * *

"That couldn't have waited a few minutes," Emma said to Neal.

"Caught up in the moment I guess," he replied. Both their tones had lowered. "What's going on with us Emma? Things used to be so much easier."

"Yeah," she answered. She stepped back from the counter and crossed her arms, looking away from him. "Maybe what happened a week ago was a mistake."

"You just said it was more than just sex. Did you really mean that or do you really think it was a mistake?"

Emma shook her head and came around leaning her back against the counter. "I have to otherwise it would be too hard. Saying it was more than just sex adds too many complications. Tamara just broke up with you minutes before so maybe that's all that was- just rebound sex. It didn't mean anything."

"It was more than just sex for me too."

Emma looked up at Neal, "Don't say that just to make me feel better."

"I'm not," he replied.

"And what about Tamara," Emma asked bringing her up for the second time. "You haven't spoken to her all week and the last time you did was right before we…"

"I don't care about her."

Emma looked at Neal not really believing him. "You don't because a few weeks ago you couldn't deny how much you needed her."

"I know and I'm sorry I shouldn't have said that. I did need her but not in the way you think. I only met her a few minutes after I had found out you were in Storybrooke."

"How did you find out when I was in Storybrooke?"

"August came to see me before he arrived here last year. Told me that he was starting to turn back to wood and that he needed to go so he could get you to believe in the curse."

Emma was too stunned to say anything so she remained silent and let Neal continue.

"When I met Tamara I latched onto her. I didn't think you'd ever want to see me again and I wouldn't have blamed you even though I did have every intention of seeing you but then I met Tamara a few minutes later and I wasn't alone anymore. It was never the same though. In some weird way it always felt like I was cheating even though we were never together."

"I know the feeling," Emma said.

"You do," he asked in a surprised voice.

"There were a few guys every now and then but I never let things go beyond one night. I just couldn't risk the heartache and they all felt wrong somehow too." Emma sighed. "We can't just let our one night go can we?"

Neal took a step toward Emma closing the distance between them.

"I don't want to."

"Neal," Emma said when he cupped her face.

"Stop talking," he said to her.

And she did. Emma closed her eyes as Neal's lips met hers. There was no anger this time, no hatred. Only a desire that had lingered from eleven years ago, buried beneath the walls that they had each built up around their hearts to protect themselves from the heartache they once faced.


	5. Right Where We Belong

**Chapter 5: Right Where We Belong**

* * *

"Did you feel that," Neal whispered as he pulled back, "That was real."

Emma nodded and brought Neal back to her. They were so lost in each other that they failed to hear the door swing open.

"Henry," Mary Margaret called after her grandson.

Henry's eyes had widened as had David and Mary Margaret's. Neal and Emma quickly backed away from each other.

"Sorry," said Mary Margaret, "We told him to knock first."

The shock on Henry's face wore off and he smiled.

"Neal," he said going up to hug his father.

"Hey buddy," he replied hugging back. "You grow another couple inches?"

Henry shrugged, "It's only been a week. How come I haven't seen you lately? And don't tell me you've been busy too. Family always makes time for each other."

Neal looked at Emma and she looked at both him and Henry. She had told Henry that she would never lie to him again but this was an adult matter.

"It's complicated," said Neal.

"I'm eleven," he said, "I think I can take it."

Emma couldn't help but smile at her son. "We know that you probably could but this is between your dad and me Henry. We've just needed some space to figure things out. I'm sorry it's kept you from Neal though. That was mostly my fault, not his."

"So did you figure things out yet," Henry said with the widest grin that Emma had seen in a while.

It wasn't hard to figure out what the boy was thinking.

Mary Margaret stifled a laugh, "Henry, I think that's kind of personal."

Neal reached out and took Emma's hand. She let him slightly drag her closer.

"I don't know Emma," he said to her. "What do you think?"

"We're working on it," she said more to Neal than to anyone else in the room.

Neal smiled that smile that always made Emma go weak. After all these years he still had a way of getting through, of making the walls she had built seem like sand instead of stone.

Neal reached into his right pocket. "Then in that case," he said his hand gripping over something that no one could see. "I think we make it slightly more official."

He opened his fingers to reveal Emma's keychain in the palm of his hand.

"Hey that's your necklace," said Henry. "I thought you lost it."

Emma could only look at Neal in wonder. "You kept it?"

"Well I wasn't just going to leave it on the tabletop in the bar." Neal took a step toward Emma still holding her hand. "Remember the day I got this for you?"

Emma laughed, "How could I forget. We weren't exactly the best versions of ourselves back then."

"Maybe not but that day was still special. The keychain belongs with you, us. Maybe now it will mean something positive."

"It always did Neal. I was just angry when I said those things. I thought you would have picked up on it."

"Guess I'm a bit slow. So will you wear it again?"

"What do you think," Emma said.

Neal smiled and walked behind Emma. She held her hair as he unhooked the clasp and then placed it around her neck.

Emma closed her eyes and reached up to touch her swan pendant. She had gone without it for weeks. She had told herself that it didn't bother her but deep down it had. Now she was grateful to have it back.

Neal looked over Emma's shoulder, "Right where it belongs," he said leaning in to kiss her. It was simple, more of a peck since they couldn't do that much in the presence of company.

Henry smiled, "So mom can dad stay for dinner?"

"I don't know buddy," said Neal. "It's getting late, I should probably go."

Emma tightened her grip on Neal's hand. "You're staying. No more running," she said to him.

Neal smiled, "Okay, no more running."

The family of five settled in for the evening, David and Mary Margaret heading to the kitchen to begin cooking dinner.

Emma and Neal had spent a week avoiding each other. There would be plenty of time later to show their faces in town together as they had once before only this time was different but tonight it was all about family. No longer was it going to be two exes making things work for the sake of their son, sure there were still a few kinks to work out but instead it would a couple brought together by fate.

* * *

**-END-**


End file.
